Prognostic Value of the Right Ventricle Diameter, Pulmonary Arterial Pressure and Biomarkers in Patients with Acute Heart Failure

The aim of the paper was to examine the echocardiographic parameters of the right ventricle (RV), its diameter and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP); to determine their relationship to B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin and (TnI) and high-sensititity C-raective protein (hsCRP), and to evaluate their prognostic significance to one-year mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). The study included a total of 225 patients (pts) (70.29 +/- 9.74 years) who were admitted to Intensive care unit due to the signs and symptoms of AHF. The values of standard biochemical parameters, BNP, TnI and hsCRP were determined during the first 24 hours after admission. All patients underwent echocardiographic examination. During a one-year follow-up, 78 (34.70%) patients died. As compared with the group of survivors (n = 147), the group of non-survivors had higher values of BNP (853.10 +/- 384.92 vs. 1399.68 +/- 464.44 pg/mL, p < 0.001), TnI (0.59 +/- 2.04 vs. 2.00 +/- 8.29 ng/ml, p < 0.05), right ventricular diameter and PAP (p < 0.001). BNP was positively correlated with TnI (Q = 0.311), PAP (Q = 0.255) and right ventricular diameter (Q = 0.304, p < 0.001 for all correlations). The cut-off value of BNP >= 1062.04 pg/ml, PAP >= 44.5 mmHg and TnI >= 0.04 ng/ml were associated with a higher risk of mortality. Our results have shown that BNP, PAP and TnI are strong and independent predictors of one-year mortality in hospitalized patients with acute heart failure.